Creative Writing: Winter – Spring 2016 - 2017
FOURTH MARKING PERIOD
April 3 – 7 (Week Ten – 1)
M: Work in library Polished outline and 2 + pages…
T: Cont; consider exercises on dialogue…
W: Cont. in library
R: Quiz and Discussion: “Happy Chang”
F: cont. in library 4+ pages due
April 10 – 14 : SPRING BREAK
April 17 – 21 (Week Eleven – 2)
M-R: Work on story; consider “What if…?” questions; “Show, Don’t Tell”
W: 5+ pages due
April 24 – 28 (Week Twelve – 3)
M: 6+ pages due. Work on story; review “Story Qualities”; review troublesome mechanics; review dialogue and scene break technique.
T: Work on story—polished draft due.
W: Final edit, submit ASAP
R: Read stories; two-paragraph critique of classmate’s story.
F: Story submission absolute deadline
May 1 – 5 (Week Fourteen – 4)
M: Introduce food scene assignment. Watch food scenes from Little Miss Sunshine, Ordinary People, American Beauty, Raging Bull, and Juno; consider how the physical world reflects the emotional world of the characters; consider the arc of the scene, and how one character drives the scene; how conscious and unconscious desires are met with obstacles (interpersonal; intra-personal; environmental)
T: Work on food scene assignment [see “adaptation” option]
W: Write sample food scene together as class; revise food scene assignment; introduce adaptation assignment; see sample screenplay; discuss format [Read and discuss “How to Watch a Movie”; introduce movie assignment; groups brainstorm for movie concept, outline…]
R/F: Write scenes…
May 8 – 12 (Week Fifteen – 5) (AP EXAM WEEK)
M-W: Watch Ordinary People for overall structure, highlighting key scenes that show, through imagery and crucial dialogue, the trajectory of the main plot and subplot.
R/F: Polished screenplay scenes. STORIES BACK; REVISE… Read and discuss “How to Watch a Movie”; introduce movie assignment; groups brainstorm for movie concept, outline. Work on outline
May 15 – 19 (Week Sixteen – 6)
M-T: Watch Good Will Hunting with an eye for overall structure, especially long Act One, which develops character, creates sympathy, clarifies stakes for Act Two.
R/F: Work on screenplay. Story revisions due.
May 22 – 26 (Week Sixteen – 7)
M-F: Work on screenplay.
May 29 – June 2 (Week Seventeen – 8)
M: MEMORIAL DAY – NO SCHOOL
T: Screenplay due
W-F: Screenplay readings…in class…
June 5 – 9 (Week Eighteen – 9)
M-W: Finals…
R: GRADUATION
January 30 – Feb 3 (Week 1)
M: Review syllabus; introductions; School Memory assignment #1; read and analyze. Create google.doc; draft #1
T: Share and polish #1
W: Read “Bobby”. Begin #2 due.
R: #2 work in class. #3 Childhood photo…
F: #2 share. #3 work in class.
February 6 – 10 (Week 2)
M: #3 due. #4 work in class
T: Discuss #4, due; brainstorm for personal essay. Read Sweeney essay
W: Write #5. Cont. discussion above. Begin work on draft
R: Work on draft
F: Work on draft; polished, printed.
Feb 13 – 17 (Week Three)
M: Work on draft—exercises #1-5 due
T: Work… Draft due; share, revise…
W: Work on draft
R: Final essay due
F: IN – SERVICE
Feb 20 – 24 (Week Four)
M: PRESIDENTS DAY
T: #1 POV assignment: Read POV excerpts and write four scenes…
W: Discuss/share #1.
R: Work on #2 “Airport Scene”.
F: Revise and polish #2. Read “The Flowers” by Alice Walker; discuss how it works as a complete story, despite its brevity;
Feb 27 – March 3 (Week Five)
M: Review POV. Intro #2. Work…
T: Read “The Flowers” by Alice Walker; discuss how it works as a complete story, despite its brevity; see other short-short stories…
W: Write #3; short-short story, in third or first-person.
R: #3 due. Share, revise.
F: Read “Shot” by Joyce Carol Oates.
March 6 – 10 (Week Six)
M: #4: Write a scene, with a desire for a physical thing; in contrast to a story; revise and polish story and scenes
T: Discuss “Shot”; compare #3 and 4, story and scene
W: #5: Creating sympathy for the character; writing a compelling opening scene to a story (inspired by a real-life news story)
R: #5 Due. Write short-short story, continuation with partner. Present stories; reveal original inspirations…
F: Read short stories.
March 13 – 17 (Week Seven)
M: Anne Tyler’s “Holding Things Together”; read, do #7 (arcs of 8 scenes in the story)
T: Discuss #7. #5 due.
W: “Story Machine” #6 scene-writing assignment: writing a last scene in a story. Exercise plus brainstorm…
R: Write #6 in class
F: #6 due; peer review. Present and discuss various scenes.
March 20 – 24 (Week Eight)
M: Story assignment intro; work on #8 (outline of own story)
T: #8 cont. Rough outline discussion; explain overall arc of story
W: Read “25 Stories”; critique draft due Wednesday.
R: Cont.: consider POV; third v. first, etc.
F: Work on rough outline and 1 page…
March 27 – March 31 (Week Nine)
M: Work on story…
T: Cont.
W: “25 Stories” critique draft due; work on story
R: Work on story…
F: Polished outline and2 pages due
END OF THIRD MARKING PERIOD